What do you do with your old equipment when it comes time to get that new computer or replace that 4 lb. laptop? Do you put it in storage somewhere and let it collect dust for years? Perhaps you recycle it and hopefully you don’t throw it in the trash.
If you do throw your computer in the trash, you may not realize that EPA regulations prohibit the landfilling of hazardous materials, and your business could be held liable for improperly disposing of e-waste.
According to Wikipedia:
Computer components contain many toxic substances, like dioxins, polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), cadmium, chromium, radioactive isotopes, and mercury. A typical computer monitor may contain more than 6% lead by weight, much of which is in the lead glass of the cathode ray tube (CRT). A typical 15 inch (38 cm) computer monitor may contain 1.5 pounds (1 kg) of lead,[2] but other monitors have been estimated to have up to 8 pounds (4 kg) of lead.[1] Circuit boards contain considerable quantities of lead-tin solders that are more likely to leach into groundwater or create air pollution due to incineration. The processing (e.g. incineration and acid treatments) required to reclaim these precious substances may release, generate, or synthesize toxic byproducts.
Unless you have extra storage space available, your best option is to recycle your old equipment, which is also a better choice for the environment. There are several e-recycling options available, and when it comes to business computers, you should choose one that will also securely destroy the data on your old devices.
Formatting the hard drive of an old computer isn’t enough to ensure that your sensitive data won’t be recovered by someone else. And if someone else recovers your sensitive data from an old computer, your company’s security could be compromised.
At OAC Technology, a Minneapolis-based IT company, we’ll recycle your old computers for you and at the same time, securely wipe all of your sensitive data and ensure that your old computers won’t become new liabilities. Call us today to discuss your e-recycling needs!
